To Drink, or Not to Drink? Teen Vogue Readers Sound Off

From blacking out at parties to choosing to be sober (and everywhere in between), girls share their alcohol tales.

Statistically speaking, underage drinking is a reality for most teens, with 70% of high schoolers having tried alcohol before they graduate. So, why do you drink? Or why do you choose not to? Below, readers weigh in on their experiences, and we encourage you to share yours in the comments.

Jessica S., 17, from Connecticut
"As a senior in high school, drinking is everywhere—everyone in my grade is at parties with alcohol at least twice a week. Although my friends drink a lot, I've never been drunk and don't plan to be in the near future. I'm not against other people drinking, and I love going to parties, but I have plenty of fun without alcohol. When I'm out, the atmosphere is enough to energize me and allow me to be social. And because I don't drink, I'm always the designated driver, and I make sure that my friends don't put themselves in danger. I used to feel pressure to drink, but I stuck by my guns. Once people realized that I was serious, they stopped bothering me about it. I've found that instead of being looked at like a loser, people respect my decisions and self-control."

Kate B., 21, from South Carolina
"I drink when everyone else around me is drinking, and I did so before I turned 21. If I know my friends are about to get loopy, I drink with them in order to relate. There's a sense of camaraderie about it. I'll also drink because I had a bad day, or if I'm just stressed out in general and want to take the edge off. When I don't drink, it's because there's something important I have to do. Maybe I have to wake up early for work, or I know I have to drive somewhere to see someone. I'll get made fun of for it sometimes, but my friends all know that I'm making a responsible choice. I don't want a hangover, and I don't want to wrap myself around a tree. The very people that have made fun of me for not drinking have totaled their cars or gotten fired from a job for drinking. I'd rather not be one of them."

Emily O., 18, from Ohio
"I don't drink because I've seen what it can do to a person and a family. Drinking is fine when you have self-control, but when a person doesn't know when to stop, it's really dangerous. My dad is a functioning alcoholic, though he won't admit it. He started really drinking when my 12-year-old sister was born—that's when I would say I 'lost' my dad. After that point, he didn't resemble the person I knew and loved. He became self-involved and wasn't there for my mom or his children. Alcoholism runs in my family, and since I've experienced its effects firsthand, I choose to abstain."

Briana F., 17, from Florida
"I choose to drink casually. Everyone is doing it at parties—hanging out no longer means playing board games and watching YouTube videos. It's about having a drink with everyone else, and as we get older, alcohol is more available thanks to fake IDs. When you go to a party, suddenly all the things you heard about the negative effects of alcohol are gone. They don't matter. What is a drink or two going to do? It's not peer pressure, it's just the thing to do for fun nowadays, sadly."

Jordan S., 17, from Maryland
"On New Year's Eve, I got very, very drunk at my best friend's party. I threw up several times, and my dad had to come pick me up, though I was almost taken to the hospital. The next morning I had no recollection of what happened, so it's no surprise I've sworn off alcohol for a long time. Alcohol is about more than just drinking: It's a way to become someone new for a few short hours. That night, I caught a glimpse of a person I didn't want to become. I didn't want to be the girl who didn't have control over her actions; I didn't want to be the girl who made a fool of herself. Swearing off alcohol isn't just about the physical act of remaining sober or about obeying my parents' rules, it's about me being happy in my own skin and not needing to resort to a drink to make me feel better."